Chair



.une 20, 1933u A. s.. T. LAGAARD CHAIR Filed Feb. 25, 1929 LDT.

Patented .lune 20, 1933 UWE orties ALEXANDER S. 'l'. LAGAARD, OF MINNEAPOLS, l'vlllTESTr, ASSIGNOR TO THE FRTZ- CROSS COMPANY, OF ST. PAUL, MNNESOTA, A COR-PORAJIONF MNNESOTA CHAIR Application led February 25, 1929.

My invention relates to chairs and particularly to chairs having adjustable back rests and has for its object to provide a chair with a rigid frame construction adapted to be raised or lowered or to be moved baclrwardly or forwardly to vary the up and down or back and forth position of the back rest with respect to the seat.

Another object of the invention resides in 1^; constructing the frame with av forward portion and with a rearward portion, and in mounting the rearward portion for up and down movement with respect to the seat, and for mounting both the rearward and forward portions for longitudinal movement in a baclr and forth direction with respect to said seat.

Another object of the invention resides in forming the chair with a side member and in att-aching to said side member supports slidably positioned relative thereto to which the forward and rearward portions of said frame are attached.

A still further obj ect of the invention resides in constructing the rear support with a guide for ,guiding said rear portion of the frame in up and down movement to permit of adjusting the back rest for up and down position.

A still further object of the invention resides in pivotally connecting the forward portion of the frame to the forward support to permit of the swinging of the rearward portion in an up and down direction.

Other objects of the invention reside in the details of construction thereof, and in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter illustrated or described.

ln the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chair illustrating an embodiment of my invention and showing the back rest in one of the adjusted positions.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the seat and back rest of the chair shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the back rest in another of its `adjusted positions.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional detail View of the forward support for the back rest frame.

Serial No. 342,476.

Fig. l is a view similar to Fig. 3 of the support for the rear portion of the frame.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modification of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 5 illustrating still another form of the invention.

l7i7here an extremely rugged and substantial chair is desired, l iind it advisable to construct the frame for the back rest in a rigid manner without pivoted braces. ent invention contemplates means for adjusting a back rest mounted on a rigid frame structure both in an up and down direction and in a baclr and forth direction and for holding the same in adjusted position.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, l have shown'in Fig. 1 a chair A of ordinary construction which comprises four legs l0., 11, 12 and 18 attached to a suitable crown block 14 and flaring outwardly therefrom. rlhese legs may have secured to the ends thereof caster wheels 15 which serve the usual purpose. ln the crown block 14 is mounted a standard 16 which carries a, seat indicated in its entirety at 18. This seat comprises a seat supporting structure 17 to which the standard 16 is attached and which carries a cushion 19 of any desired type. rlhe seat supporting structure 17 may be of any desired construction, which, in the forni of chair shown, includes two side members 2O to which the supports for the back rest proper are attached.

ln conjunction with the seat 18, I employ a back rest 21 which is adapted to be independently adjusted in an up and down direction or in a back and forth direction with respect to the seat proper. This back rest is supported upon two frame members 22 and 23 which preferably l. shaped in formation and include upwardly extending arms 24 and forwardly extending arms 25. The upwardly extending arms 24 are connected togetherl by means of a tie bar 26 to form a one-piece rigid construction. If desired, the various parts may be constructed separately and welded together or otherwise joined together in any suitable manner.

ylhe bach rest 21 has attached to the back RTS The pres- 29 thereof two brackets 30 which are pivoted by means of rivets 31 to the upper ends of the upwardly extending arms 24 immediately below the tie bar 26. By means of this construction, the back rest 21 may be swung to vary the angular position of the same with respect to the baclr of the user, and the rivets 31 are preferably formed sufficiently tight to hold the back rest in any of its angularly adjusted positions. If it is desired, however, a spring washer may be positioned beneath the head of either of the rivets 31 to positively hold the back. rest in adjusted position.

The frame members 22 and 23 are supported as follows: At the forward end of each of the side members of the seat supporting structure is slidably mounted a support 32 which may be constructed from band iron bent with a body portion 34 and portions 33 adapted to encircle the side member and to retain said sup-port slidablymounted thereon for movement in a back and forth direction. Between the body portion 34 of each of these supports and the side members 20l are inserted the forwards ends of the horizontally extending arms of the frame members 22 and 23 which are pivoted to said supports by means of rivets 35. By means of this construction, the back rest 21 may be raised and lowered by swinging the frame structure about the pivots 35 and the same may be also adjustedvforwardly and rearwardly by sliding the supports 32 along the frame members 20.

For clampingthe frame members 22 and 23 in adjusted position, I employ two clamps 36 which are attached to the rearward portions of the side members 2() of the seat supporting structure, and which are identical in construction. One of these clamps is shown in detail in Fig. 4. This clamp comprises a U shaped structure formed with spaced legs 37 and 38 connected by a bridge member 39. A slot 40 in the bridge member 39 is adapted to receive the upwardly eX- tending arm 24 of either of the frame members 22 and 23 to permit of the up and down movement of the said frame structure. Said clamp is also adapted to straddle the side member 20 of the seat supporting structure which, when the parts are properly assembled, lie side by side as shown in Fig. 4. bolt 41 passes jointly through the lowermost portions of the legs 37 and 38 of said 'clamp and to one side of the slot 40 and at a point below the side member 2O so as to miss both said side member and the frame structure. Then a wing nut 42 screwed upon one end of the bolt 41 is tightened, the various parts are rigidly clamped together to prevent movement thereof.

In the use of the device, the wing nuts 42 are unscrewed which loosens the supporting structure and permits of raising and lowering the back rest. During the raising and lowering of the back rest, the lower portions of the upwardly extending arms 24 slide in the slots 40 of the clamps 36. As soon as the back rest is properly adjusted for up and down position, the entire frame structure, including the supports 25 and said clamps may be slid longitudinally along the side members 20 of the seat supporting structure to adjust the back rest for back and forth position. IVhen the back rest is properly adjusted, the wing nuts 42 may be tightened which causes the back rest supporting structure to be rigidly held in place. If desired, two braces 43 may be employed which are connected to the arms 24 and 25 of the frame members 22 and 23 and which serve to further stiiifen and strengthen the back rest supporting structure.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the supports 32 and the clamping members 3G are dispensed with and equivalent means provided for forming the same results. Toward this end, the forward and rearward portions of the side members 20 of the seat supporting structure are provided with longitudinal slots 44 and 45. The lower portions of the upwardly extending arms 24 of the frame members 22 and 23 are similarly constructed with upwardly extending longitudinal slots 46. Bolts 47 pass jointly through the forward ends of the arms 25 of said frame members of the slots 44 of -side member 20 while other bolts 48 pass through the slots and slots 46. By means of these bolts the back rest 21 and the supporting structure therefor may be adjusted in identically the same manner as the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and thereafter clamped in position.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the frame members 22 and 23 are constructed with the uprights 24 the same as before, but in this case, the horizontal arms 25 are omitted. Instead of the same, braces 49 are employed which are rigidly secured to the uprights 24 by means of rivets 50. The lower ends of these braces extend forwardly of the uprights 24 and both the said braces and uprights are connected to the side members 2O of the seat supporting structure by means of clamps 51 the same as the clamps 36 used with the other form of the invention. Through this construction the back rest may be raised and lowered as by pivoting on the forward clamp 51 and sliding on the rearward clamp, or by jointly slidmg relative to said clamp. Said back rest may be adjusted baelrwardly and forwardly by pivoting on the rearward clamp 51 or by jointly sliding the seat structure bodily relative to the side 20. In this manner any adjustment may be had of the back rest within the limits of the device.

It can readily be comprehended with the device shown in Fig. 6, that, if desired, the l forward clamp members 51 may be dispensed with and the braces 49 pivoted directly to supports 32 similar to those of the other form of the invention. In such case, the function of the parts of the chair would be identically the saine as with the form of the invention shown in Figs. l and 5, the only difference being in the construction of the back rest frame structure.

The invention is highly advantageous in that an extremely rigid and substantial construction may be provided whereby all of the adjustments desired for the back rest may be had. In the one form of the invention, the supporting structure may be clamped in place by merely tightening two burrs. The independent adjustment of the back rest in up and down direction will not be effected by adjustment in back and forth direction. The device is extremely simple and will not readily get out of order. It can, furthermore, be constructed at an economical cost.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made Within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A chair comprising a seat, a rigid frame structure including a rearward and a forward portion immovable relative to one another, a rest carried thereby, pivoting means connected to the forward portion of said frame, means on said seat for guiding said pivoting means for sliding movement in a back and forth direction relative to the seat, a member at the back of the seat, means on the seat for guiding said member for movement in a back and forth direction relative to the seat, said member and frame having juxtaposed parts, one thereof having a guideway for engagement with the other for guiding the frame for movement in an up and down direction, and means for holding the parts in adjusted position.

2. A chair comprising a seat, including side members, a back rest support engaging said side members on certain sides thereof, a clamp for each side member, each clamp having two plate-like portions, said side members and support being disposed between said plate-like portions, a guide in each clamp for guiding the same for movement along its side member, a second guide in each clamp for guiding said support for movement relative to said clamps, and screws fo-r bringing said plate-like portions of said clamps together to hold said support immovable relative to said side members.

3. A chair comprising a seat, including side members, a back rest support engaging said side members on certain sides thereof and angularly disposed relative thereto, a clamp for each side member, each clamp .immovable relative to said side member, said screws being disposed at the angles formed by said side members and support.

In testimony whereof I have afIiXed my signature to this specification.

ALEXANDER S. T. LAGAARD. 

